Dust Disease & Silicosis Claims NSW
Silicosis, asbestosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis — our WorkCover doctors and lawyers run NSW dust disease claims, including claims through the icare Dust Diseases Scheme.
Every appointment on this page is paid by the insurer under your NSW workers compensation claim. You don't receive an invoice for any of it — not for our doctors, physios, psychologists, rehab providers or compensation lawyers.
Yes — dust disease & silicosis is a standard NSW WorkCover claim
If work caused or aggravated it, NSW workers compensation covers it. You don't need a single dramatic incident, and you don't need a pre-existing-condition-free history. Here's the short version of what that means for dust disease & silicosis.
Work caused or aggravated it
Sudden or cumulative, new or aggravated — dust disease & silicosis from work-related causes qualifies. Our doctors document the mechanism so the insurer can accept the claim.
Book a WorkCover doctorEvery appointment is paid
Doctors, physios, psychologists, rehab providers and compensation lawyers — all paid by the insurer under your accepted claim. You never receive an invoice.
See our workcover doctorsDisputes are handled for you
If the insurer pushes back, our compensation lawyers step in at no cost to you. You don't fight the system alone.
See how our lawyers helpHow dust disease & silicosis happens at work
Most claims in this category come down to a handful of mechanisms. If yours fits any of these, it's almost certainly claimable — and even if it doesn't, book an assessment anyway. The list isn't exhaustive.
- Cutting, grinding or polishing engineered stone benchtops
- Construction, tunnelling and demolition dust exposure
- Mining, quarrying and stone masonry
- Historical asbestos exposure in trades and shipbuilding
- Coal handling, transport and power generation
- Long-term exposure to silica, wood or grain dust
Not sure if your cause fits? It usually does. Take the 60-second eligibility check →
When to see a WorkCover doctor
Any of these symptoms after a work-related incident or from a work-related activity means it's time to get assessed. Early assessment gives dust disease & silicosis the best chance of fast recovery.
- Persistent cough that won't settle
- Breathlessness with exertion or at rest
- Chest tightness or chest pain
- Unexplained fatigue and weight loss
- Recurrent chest infections
- Coughing up blood or thick mucus
Don't push through. The workers who recover fastest are the ones who see a doctor in the first week.
What NSW WorkCover pays for with dust disease & silicosis
Once your claim is accepted (or under provisional liability), the insurer pays for every line below directly. You don't receive an invoice for any of it.
- Respiratory specialist consultations
- Chest imaging including high-resolution CT
- Lung function and respiratory testing
- Ongoing medical monitoring and review
- Medication, oxygen therapy and inhaled treatments
- Pulmonary rehabilitation programs
- Weekly income payments and lump-sum compensation
- Access to NSW's Dust Diseases Scheme via icare
What the NSW data says
You would not be the first person to claim for dust disease & silicosis. The national and NSW data makes that very clear.
Typical dust disease latency
Most dust diseases develop decades after the exposure that caused them. The NSW scheme recognises this long latency. Source: icare NSW Dust Diseases Scheme guidance.
NSW benefits paid last year
Total statutory benefits paid to injured NSW workers — including long-running dust disease claims. Source: icare NSW, 2023–24.
Want the full picture? See WorkCover in numbers →
How we handle dust disease & silicosis claims
Our doctors, physios, psychologists, rehab providers and compensation lawyers all work under one roof. One phone call gets the whole team involved.
Dust disease claims in NSW run on a different pathway to standard workers compensation — the icare Dust Diseases Scheme provides lifetime medical cover and lump-sum compensation for workers with diagnosed dust diseases. Our WorkCover doctors coordinate the respiratory specialist assessment, and our compensation lawyers handle the scheme application and, where relevant, claims through the NSW Dust Diseases Tribunal. Long latency means the employer may be decades in the past — we handle that too.
WorkCover Doctors
The frontline team for dust disease & silicosis. Most workers in this category see our workcover doctors team first after the initial doctor assessment.
See our workcover doctorsCompensation Lawyer
Part of our integrated dust disease & silicosis care team. Looped in as your recovery needs dictate — fully paid under your claim.
See our compensation lawyerRehabilitation Provider
Part of our integrated dust disease & silicosis care team. Looped in as your recovery needs dictate — fully paid under your claim.
See our rehabilitation providerWondering what weekly payments would look like? Use the Payment Calculator →
Related resources
Three starting points for digging deeper — an explainer on our blog, the eligibility quiz, and other injury types our team handles.
Dust Disease & Silicosis claims — what workers ask
The same questions come up in every consult. Here are the answers in short form.
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Our WorkCover doctors book same-week appointments. One call covers the Certificate of Capacity, the insurer paperwork, and the referral to our physios, psychologists or lawyers as needed.
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